


In the Caves

by i_can_write_in_my_dreams



Series: All the Lonely Ones [2]
Category: The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: All the Lonely Ones, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cult, Soldat Sol, Sun Summoner, grisha - Freeform, shadow and bone - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:33:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29812644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_can_write_in_my_dreams/pseuds/i_can_write_in_my_dreams
Summary: Mal's pov from All the Lonely Ones
Series: All the Lonely Ones [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2191422
Kudos: 14





	In the Caves

Malyen Oretsev never quite recovered from seeing the Apparat take his best friend away.The smelly, old man haunted his nightmares for years.Ana Kuya never quite forgave him for waking the other kids up with his screams, but she never cared about Alina.Mal didn’t think the Apparat cared about her either.

After Alina was taken, he grudgingly accepted that he couldn’t find her without help, star tracker or no.When he joined the First Army and the Darkling enlisted his help in a few missions, Mal realized the Grisha commander was looking for her too.Mal would never trust the Grisha, but he couldn’t leave Alina with the Apparat any longer.

It took nine years to find her.The Darkling’s spies caught whispers of an underground cult and suns embroidered on peasant clothes.To Mal’s relief and nerves, he was allowed to infiltrate the cult.He clenched his fist at the sight of her followers milling around, keeping Alina apart from the sunlight she’d always loved.He used to think she was just cold, but now he knew better.Mal thought the universe was playing a joke on him when the first person he recognized was Alina Starkov.Even after nine years, he felt more at home next to her. 

The Alina he knew appeared in bursts.Her teasing hadn’t changed much, but her threats had improved.With her threats came the stone face of a saint condemning men and a spine of steel.Mal began clinging to the sweet smiles she’d flash him, or else he’d forget who she was.Alina tried to stay kind, but the bitterness seeped through her words.He wanted to save her, but he wasn’t sure about handing her over to the Darkling anymore.Alina would be trading one prison for another without even knowing.

For a few days, he hurt her.He distanced himself when they were together all because he couldn’t make a decision.Whenever he opened his mouth to tell Alina, her Shu friends were right there.Eventually, he couldn’t wait any longer.The Darkling was demanding an answer that Mal didn’t have.

“Are you happy here?”

The question burst from his lips before he could stop himself.It was relieving and nerve-wracking all at the same time as she turned to look at him.

“What? Of course not.I haven’t seen actual sunlight in years and my captors are fanatics and a living, rotting corpse.” She laughed bitterly.“This is no life.”

He didn’t like it, but he took the map she offered and promised the Darkling anything to set her free.Guilt flooded his chest every day an answer didn’t arrive, leaving him to pace his cave bunk.Mal began questioning his choices with a new fervor when a message arrived with his dinner tray. 

_It’s a deal, tracker._


End file.
